Sabotage in the City
by AutumnHatersUnite
Summary: Your school goes off to NYC for a field trip… with disastrous results.
1. Green With Envy

"Ugh, it's so hot here, I'm like sweating to death in this jacket," a cheerleader girl whined. The winter clothes we were wearing were better suited to the NYC climate (where we were going) than the sunny California weather here.

We were waiting in the airport for the last few straggling classmates to arrive. My school was hosting a field trip to New York City over winter break, and most of the students had signed up for it. Next to me, my best friend, Mia Warren, showed the third member of our trio, Payton, a picture of the robin egg's blue sweater she was going to order off Shopbop on her phone. The cheerleader girl continued whining to her friends about the weather. A DJ guy unplugged his giant headphones from his smartphone, unleashing a raucous stream of music into the air while a hip hop girl and guy bobbed their heads to the music. Two prep girls sipped their peppermint spice lattes.

I pulled out my iPhone to text my boyfriend, Wes, and ask if he was coming soon, but suddenly I was jostled from behind as the prep girl next to me spilled the contents of her latte all over my (new) Vivienne Westwood sweater.

"OMG! I'm so sorry!" the prep girl cried, her Cartier bracelets sliding up and down her thin wrists as her hands shook. But my eyes weren't focused on her—rather, on the girl behind her.

Autumn Brooks.

"Oops, I guess I must have tripped and accidently pushed you," Autumn remarked to the prep girl. "Silly me! I'm so clumsy!"

While Autumn's face looked apologetic, I knew better than that. She had probably done it on purpose. Autumn had had it out for me ever since Wes chose to date me instead of her. And when a new girl, Kallie, had started dating her ex, Julian, Autumn had gone on the warpath after her as well.

But I wasn't the type of girl who took things standing down. Which was why Autumn was now the biggest social pariah at this school. Now, the only people who talked to her were Payton (who was _much_ too nice for her own good) and, much to my chagrin, Wes. No matter how hard I tried to convince him about Autumn's true nature, he still held on to his soft spot for her.

Mia glared at Autumn while she and Payton quickly gathered up some napkins and helped me wipe my sweater off. But the damage was done. My formerly pristine, snow white sweater was now marred with a large, ugly brown stain.

"Hey, Autumn, are you a peanut butter-flavored candy bar?" I snapped.

Autumn's thin brows quirked up in confusion. "Huh? No?"

"Then why are you such a Butterfinger?"

Mia, the prep girls, and the cheerleaders laughed. Autumn's face turned red as she stomped away from us.

"Hey!" Payton cried. "Don't wander off too far! You might miss the plane!"

"Actually, that would be a good thing," I spoke quietly to Mia.

She snickered. "Don't you know it."

"Ugh, I have to go off and buy a new sweater before Wes sees," I frowned. In the distance, I could see a red-haired girl approaching us. Instantly, I had an idea. Walking briskly, I met up with her.

"Kallie!" I chirped.

"Hey!" Kallie replied. She looked at my sweater. "What happened to you?"

"Long story," I muttered. "But enough about that. I'm getting a new one. Come with?" I gave my inviting "Honor Roll student" smile.

"Sure!" Kallie chirped.

We walked until I glimpsed a duty-free Moschino shop.

"Hello! Would you like to try our new fragrance?" a salesgirl asked, her red lipsticked-mouth forming a large fake smile.

"No thanks," I replied. At the same time, Kallie said "Sure!"

As the salesgirl spritzed Kallie with Moschino Toy, I moved onto the racks of clothes until I found a scoop-necked long-sleeved sweater, this time in dark brown, which would be less drastic than white if, God forbid, Autumn stained it again.

"Kallie, come over here, please," I announced. As Kallie trooped over, I picked off a V-neck forest green sweater and a pair of low-rise dark-wash skinny jeans. "Try these on."

Kallie exited the dressing room. "Uh, I feel awkward." She blushed.

"You look ahmazing. Julian won't know what hit him," I smiled. "You are so getting that."

After she changed back into her regular clothes, Kallie turned the price tag over and her eyes widened. "I couldn't possibly."

"Nonsense," I held out a hand, collecting the outfit from her. "I insist."

"But—" Kallie began. However, I had already whipped out my black AmEx and had started paying for the items.

"Consider it a welcoming gift," I smiled invitingly at her. "Mia, Payton, and I would like you to go shopping with us in New York, too."

"Really?" Kallie asked. "Stupendous!"

I laughed and linked arms with her. "We have to look out for each other," I said in a conspirational tone. "With girls like Autumn going after our boyfriends, it's imperative that we have each other's backs." And when Julian saw Kallie in that outfit, I just knew Autumn would be green with envy. Which was why I had picked it out, of course.


	2. Morning Sickness

After changing into my new sweater and dumping the old one into a shopping bag, Kallie and I walked back to where our classmates were clustered. Now, more people had joined. As I scanned the crowd for Wes, my eyes caught sight of Autumn's floral-patterned jacket. She lazily twirled her braid with her ring finger as she batted her squinty eyes at Wes. Ugh! Couldn't that girl just stay away from guys who were obviously taken?

I motioned for Mia, Payton, and Kallie to follow me. Together, we walked over to where Autumn was hitting on Wes.

"Wes!" I squealed, wrapping my arms around him, "accidentally" pushing Autumn away in the process.

"Hey," Wes hugged back while, out of the corner of my eye, I could see Autumn pouting. Mia gave her a dirty look since I was too busy to do so.

"Where _were _you?" I asked curiously. "You were a little late."

"Oh, I was doing a favor for a friend," Wes replied. "Autumn forgot her art portfolio in her locker, so I went to school to get it for her."

"Couldn't Autumn get it herself?" I asked, trying to keep calm.

"Well, she was already at the airport when she called me," Wes asserted. "She was frantic, all concerned that if she left and went back to get it, she'd miss the flight."

Suddenly, the events of this morning—Autumn pushing the prep girl to spill her latte on me, my Vivienne Westwood sweater being ruined, having to go off to buy a new one before people saw the ugly splotch, and now this bomb Wes dropped on me—all rushed to me and I felt a wave of wooziness. The fact that I'd forgotten to eat breakfast probably added to it as well.

"Are you okay?" Wes gasped as I swayed slightly.

I righted myself back up and glared at Wes. "I'm not feeling well right now," I retorted. "I'm going to get something to eat. Don't follow me." And with that, I left.


	3. Totally Golden

In Starbucks, I ordered a tall low-fat skim milk latte with a bowl of fresh fruit. Munching on a grape, I contemplated our relationship. When things were great, they were amazing, but when Autumn was added to the equation, it was like she was a scar that just wouldn't fade away. For some reason, Wes thought she was an absolutely perfect angel who could do no wrong, when I was well aware of the truth. Decent girls didn't go after other people's boyfriends and try to wreck their relationships. I didn't care if they had a past together—the past was called the past for a reason, and there was no need to bring it up. Especially since it did nothing but infuriate me.

I was jostled out of my thoughts when my iPhone buzzed. It was a text from Mia.

_Mia: It's boarding time. Are you coming?_

Taking the last sip of my latte, I departed the coffee shop and walked to the gate.

"Are you okay?" Payton asked. Mia and Kallie also gave me concerned glances.

"Yeah, I'm totally golden," I smiled. "This trip is going to be totes amazing."

Mia glanced at me again, but I kept my fake smile up. No need to burden everyone with talk of my stupid relationship problems, for which Autumn was responsible for 95% of them.

However, the five-hour plane ride was even worse. I was still mad at Wes, so I didn't want to sit next to him this time, but Mia was sitting with Katherine, Payton was sitting with Ezra, and even Kallie was sitting with Julian (while Autumn glowered at them from across the aisle). And since I obviously didn't want to sit next to Autumn and listen to her whine for five hours straight, I reluctantly took the seat next to Wes.

"Wouldn't you prefer the window seat?" Wes asked.

Instead of replying, I primly ignored him, instead opening my Josie Maran compact and reapplying my Too Faced Melted liquid lipstick. While it was true, I _would _have preferred the window seat, I wasn't ready just yet to talk to Wes.

"What's wrong?" Wes questioned again.

"Nothing," I replied. "I'm just tired." And with that, I placed my compact and lipstick back in my bag, pulled out my Bona Notti sleep mask and Hello Kitty travel pillow, and closed my eyes, shutting Wes out.


	4. Three's a Crowd

It was mid-afternoon by the time our plane landed at LaGuardia International Airport. I was still pretty pissed at Wes, so for the duration of the taxi ride to the hotel, I ignored him. Despite his constant attempts to talk to me, I was extremely offended that he would still choose Autumn, who wasn't even his girlfriend, over me.

Our taxicab was the first to arrive, but fortunately another taxi pulled up to the entrance. Kallie, Julian, and _Autumn _hopped out. _You know what they say_, I thought wryly to myself. _Two's company, three's a crowd. _

"Omigosh! Look!" Autumn squealed, jumping up and down at the plush, opulent hotel lobby. "Crystal chandeliers!"

I hid my snicker inside my white-gloved hand. Autumn had about much subtlety as a drunken clown.

Another taxi arrived, and Mia, Katherine, Payton, and Koh hopped out. A bellhop rushed to the taxi's trunk, pulling out the massive amounts of luggage the girls had brought. I understood why Payton and Mia had packed a lot—a girl can never bring too many shoes—but Koh? I observed the mischievous smile that darted across her face. Koh was definitely up to something, and I was definitely going to figure out what it was.

"Hey, everyone!" Payton squealed. "I can't wait for all the shopping! And cronuts! Don't forget cronuts!"

"What the hell are cronuts?" Autumn snapped.

Payton looked taken aback at Autumn's harsh tone. I was surprised myself, since there was no reason for Autumn to be in a bad mood. In fact, today had been a _good _day for Autumn. She'd ruined my new Vivienne Westwood sweater and forced my boyfriend to run errands for her. Not to mention she'd caused the current rift between me and Wes.

"God, Autumn, we're in New York. Why do you have to be so rude?" Mia asked, as Sakura, Nishan, and Ezra walked up to us.

I bit my glossed lip to prevent a snicker from escaping. When it came to being a boyfriend-stealing bitch, Autumn took the cake.

Payton still looked sad, so I took her arm. "Let's go freshen up. Mia?" I nodded. Mia said a quick _see-you-soon_ to Katherine and walked to us.

In the ladies' room, I pulled out a miniature travel-sized Mason Pearson hairbrush and ran it through my glossy brunette locks. On my left, Payton reapplied pink Milani eye shadow to her eyelids, and on my right Mia ran a tube of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara through her eyelashes.

Finally, I spoke.

"Autumn's gone too far," I announced. "The way she treated you today was just too cruel." I widened my eyes, oozing sincerity. "You're one of my dearest friends, Payton, and I cannot stand for my friends to be treated like this."

"Aww!" Payton squealed. "You're so sweet!"

"She's right, though." Mia cut in. "Autumn was so rude to you. We can't let this behavior slide at our school."

Payton hesitated for a split second, then she looked up at us. "So… what should we do about it?"


	5. Not-So-Heavy Baggage

An hour later, we stood at the door to our suite. Most of our classmates were in hotel rooms on the two floors below us, but I had done my own booking. When the hotel staff heard my last name, they were only too happy to give us the penthouse suite. Behind me, Payton, Mia, Katherine, and Kallie waited as I unlocked the door.

"OMG!" Payton gushed. "Check out the view!" In front of us, the skyscrapers of New York spread out all around us.

We were interrupted from our exploration of the room by a series of loud, sharp knocks.

"Coming!" Payton shouted. Still, the person didn't stop knocking.

"I swear to God I'm going to get a migraine," Mia put her manicured hand over her forehead and closed her eyes. Katherine looked at her worriedly.

In an effort to stop the knocking, Kallie ran to the door and opened it.

Of course, it was none other than the devil in ratty sneakers herself, Autumn Brooks.

"Oh." Autumn's eyes narrowed when she realized that it was Kallie who had opened the door.

I strode up behind Kallie. "Is there a problem?" My brown eyes shot daggers at the hipster slash art freak.

Autumn gestured to two figures down the hall. "Over here!" she hollered. I resisted the urge to cover my ears at her shrill, grating voice.

As they approached our suite, I realized that the two figures were… Julian and _Wes_. And they were carrying some luggage.

"What's going on?" I raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. Ratty Sneakers had a lot of explaining to do.

Autumn's squinty eyes danced wickedly. "Didn't you hear? There was a plumbing emergency in the room I was assigned. It seems I have to room with you guys."

I felt like an ice cube had just been dropped down the back of my shirt. It seemed like my perfect New York vacation was going to be ruined.

Just as quickly, I made that feeling dissipate. There was no way in hell I would let that bitch bring me down. She'd have to deal with me first.

"Where should we put this down?" Julian asked. He was carrying Autumn's suitcase. As I inspected it I recognized that it was a roller suitcase. Autumn could have rolled it up the elevator herself. There was no _need _for her to make Julian carry it… but there was certainly a _want _to steal Kallie's boyfriend.

"In here." Autumn pointed at our suite. Kallie and I were forced to move to make way for Julian hefting the luggage.

"Where's my room?" Autumn demanded.

This was going to be a problem. Mia and Katherine had one bedroom, and Payton and Kallie shared the other. The master bedroom was mine. And there was no way in Hermès I would be sharing a room with Autumn again. During the Greece field trip between our school and Athena Academy, we had been randomly assigned as roommates in the hotel we were staying at. That was _not_ an experience I wanted to relive.

"Change of plans," I announced. "We're going to switch some roommates around."

Mia gave me a warning look.

"Obviously, Mia will be staying with Katherine," I began. Mia smiled, dropping her warning look. "Payton, instead of rooming with Kallie, you'll be with Autumn." I fought the urge to roll my eyes. What a whiny little brat, disrupting everything as usual. "And Kallie, you'll be with me." I knew if she roomed with Autumn, Autumn would take advantage of the naïve, homeschooled girl, and sabotage both her _and_ her new relationship with Julian.

Autumn ignored me and instead gestured for Wes to hand her her backpack. What the heck? Her backpack wasn't even heavy. In fact, there was no need for Wes to even carry it when she could clearly do it herself. Just like with Julian, she was just using her luggage as an excuse to flirt with our boyfriends. And that just made her deader than last season's Miu Miu pumps.


	6. Delusions

There was a feeling of excitement in the air as we exited my hotel suite. The night was young, and anything could happen. I pulled my black-and-white Chanel tweed jacket over my Lutz &amp; Patmos cashmere sweater, which I'd paired up with a pair of dark wash Rag &amp; Bone skinny jeans and black Prada over-the-knee boots. Black Lanvin gloves protected my fingers, and I carried the bare essentials with me in my Mulberry Alexa satchel.

Kallie wore her new outfit, and Mia, Payton, Katherine, and I had helped her with her hair and makeup.

"This is astonishing!" she'd exclaimed, looking in the full-length vanity mirror. "I'm a completely different person!"

Autumn hovered in the doorway menacingly. "That's what'll happen to you. Hang out with them, and you won't even recognize yourself anymore," she spat bitterly.

Mia narrowed her eyes at the art freak. Payton and Katherine exchanged nervous looks. Kallie glanced at Autumn confusingly.

"And how would you know?" I raised an eyebrow. "It's not like you have the privilege of hanging out with us." I smirked.

Autumn stomped her foot, glowering. She looked like she was about to retort, then changed her mind and skulked off.

"I wonder what _that _was about," I mused. Normally Autumn would have stayed for a little longer and spat back. Did she have something up her sleeve?

Kallie tapped me on the arm, shaking me out of my recollection. "The guys are here!" she announced.

"You ladies ready to go?" Ezra winked at us.

"Absolutely," I replied. "Let's go." Autumn wasn't with us, and I preferred to keep it that way.

We took the elevator down thirty floors, and stopped in the opulent lobby. Nishan and Sakura were engrossed in the screen of Sakura's handheld video game and didn't notice our arrival. But Autumn, sitting across from them, immediately jumped up from her chair.

"Wes! Julian! There you are!" she screeched. Everyone cringed, covering their ears. "Are you ready to go?!"

I walked over to the hipster loser, narrowing my eyes. Mia stood at my right, mirroring my position. "Autumn,_ where_ do you think you're going with them?"

Autumn smirked, sticking her flat chest out. "They're going to an art gallery with me."

I let out a short laugh. "Is that what you believe? We have plans for tonight… and none of them involve obscure hipster art galleries in Brooklyn." That girl couldn't buy taste if her life depended on it.

Autumn fumed. "You wouldn't understand modern art." Her squinty eyes narrowed while her thin lips were set in an unattractive scowl. Her angry expression was one of the most disturbing things I had ever seen, and I had seen people wearing Louis Vuitton knockoff handbags.

"Oh, and Wes wouldn't want to spend time with you," Autumn sniffed. "While you were getting ready, I had a little chat with your boyfriend." She said the words "your boyfriend" with distaste, as if it pained her to say it.

"He doesn't want to be with a girl who doesn't care about his feelings…" Autumn took a step closer to me, breaking my personal bubble. My nose wrinkled at the scent of her stale breath. Hadn't that bitch heard of toothpaste? Or at the very least, mint gum?

"…doesn't care about his feelings like I do." She spoke the words in a near whisper, but still spat them out, bursts of saliva landing on my Dior-powdered cheeks as her thin lips curled up in a devious smile.

I backed away from her, wiping my cheeks with the backs of my hands. "Have fun with your delusions, Autumn. I know it's hard for you to find love… even your own father chose Charlotte, a woman you barely know, over you. _So_ sorry." I smirked, my eyes glistening black whirlpools of venom.

"You're just so desperate for love and attention, that's why you keep trying to seduce other girls' boyfriends. Why don't you try being your own person for a change? Oh, right… without those boys, you're _nothing_." I gave her one last withering look, turning on my Prada boot as Ratty Sneakers faded into the background.

Mia and I walked over to the other three girls. "Powder room, now."


	7. Powder Room Plotting

For the second time that day, my clique found ourselves in the Ritz-Carlton's powder room. This time we weren't doing a touch-up. It was time for Autumn Brooks to learn an important lesson.

After we checked to make sure all the stalls were empty and that no one was eavesdropping at the door, Mia and I took turns filling them in.

Even Payton was outraged. "She said to your face that she was going to steal your boyfriend!"

I nodded. "She's gone too far. That's why we're going to teach her a lesson." Quietly, I told them the plan.

We left the powder room, but to our shock and dismay, the lobby was empty.

"Where _is_ everyone?" Payton asked.

"Kallie, call Julian," I ordered the redheaded girl. "Ask where he is."

Kallie nodded, pulling out her cell phone.

"Julian said he's in a taxi. He's with Autumn and Wes, and they're going to an art gallery," Kallie reported. Her face fell.

Inside, I was seething. While we were busy plotting in the powder room, Autumn had took our boyfriends and made them go with her. After she had ruined my sweater _and _my morning, spoke rudely to Payton, hijacked our suite, and manipulated Julian and Wes into carrying her small, lightweight luggage.

But outside, my face never left it's collected, complacent expression. Calmly, I walked over to a chaise lounge and sat, crossing my legs. My friends surrounded me, waiting for me to speak.

"We're not going to play hide-and-seek with the boys. We're in New York, and I'm not going to spend my precious vacation time in some stupid hipster art gallery. Instead, we'll make them come to us." A wicked smile bloomed on my face as I thought of what I was going to do next. Mia took one look at me and caught on.

"You don't mean…?" She inquired, smirking.

"Yes. We're going to find ourselves some new guys… or at least make it seem like we have. Kallie, watch and learn."


End file.
